Carbonization of coal



May 8, 1928.

W. RUNGE CARBONIZATION OF COAL Filed NOV. 6. 1924 GAS PRODUCER Wl/Ter /unge few-Me@ Patented May 8, 1928.

WALTER nUNeE, or naar ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AssIeNon,

BY IESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO INTERNATIONAL COAL CABBONIZATION COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CABBONIZATION vF COAL.

Application led November 6, 1924. Serial No. 748,038.

- The invention relates to the carbonization or distillation-in the main partial carbonization or distillation-of coal and/or analogous material and therefore the word 6 coal as used hereinis' to be broadly construed as covering what is commonly knownl as coal and/or also all solid materials analogous thereto.

The invention particularly pertains to carl0 bonizing rocesses wherein the solid material un ergoes treatment when in vfinely divided or pulverized form in a manner to produce a partiall carbonized or partially distilled residue, requently referred to as partially distilled coke or partially distilled According to one aspect of the invention the linely divided material within a carbonizing zone retardardly gravitates counter .o to but in direct contact with a gaseous carbonizing medium that moves upwardly from a combustion zone ofl approximately between 1150o F. and 1500o F.

According to another aspect of the invention finely divided coal while in suspension in a carbonizing chamber is directly subjected to the carbonizing effect of hot gases resulting from the inflow or introduction of a limited amount of air to a zone within which I0 the air combusts or burns with some of the materials of the carbonizing zone; in other words, with some of the substances being vf processed while they arerwithin the carbonizing zone."

l5 According to a still further aspect of the invention the partial carbonization of coal is effected within a Icarbonizi'ng chamber by causing or insuring a delayed gravitation or settling of thecoal while a limited amount l0 of air enters and burns with some of the combustible while still within'the chamber for causing and effecting the desired "carbonization therein. Y

According to another aspect of the invention the carbonization of coal isefected by causing a showering of pulverized coal from the upper portion of a carbonization zone and causing a hot elastic fluid, which is maintained due to the combustion of a limited i0 amount of oxygen with some of the combustible while .still within the chamber, to move in a manner to delay the settling of the coal particles by gravitation until the hot elastic Huid effects the desired carbonization within the carbonizing zone vof the coal under treatment andv while in suspension.

The recitals above expressed are not to be construed .-as-.limiting the invention for it will be here noted that the invention comprehends not only the aspects' above indicated ut also other as ects and objects as will be' clear and manifrfist from the specification hereof. l

There will now be described a specific manner of realizing the invention and in conjunction therewith reference will be made to the drawing forming a part of the specification.

The sole figure of said drawing diagramma-tically illustrates an apparatus or portion of a plant for performing the invention. According to said figure, coal from a storage space A1 is conveyed toa receiving hopper 2,

passed to a drier 3, thence to a second receiving hopper 4 from which it is passed to a pulverizer 5, thence to a third receiving hopper or storage bin 6 within which ho per the dry pulverized coal is stored and rom which it is withdrawn.

From the hopper or storage bin 6 the dry pulverized or finely divided coal is by suitablemeans, as per portion of an unobstructed vertically extending carbonizing or distilling zone 8 within a retort or carbonizing chamber 9. The eeder 7 is preferably constructed as shown and serves as a preheater or, in other words, as means for introduction into the distilling zone. This is realized due to the absorption of sensible heat of gases within the to of the retort 9 and which gases surround t e feeding means 7. The construction of the feeding means .7 is such as to supply the coal for treatment to the interior o the retort under conditions whereby the coal will enter the retort With- 7, fed or showered into the up- 'preheating the coal prior to out permitting the entrance of any objectionable amount of air or the escape to the atmosphere of gases from wit-hin the retort. The coal thus fed-which it is manifest is in the form of fine particles-gravitates but with a retardedgravitation toward the bottom or receiving space 10 of the retort 9. In transit the coal or-material under treatment is partially carbonized by upwardly moving hot gases and gradually becomes precipitated as a fine partially carbonized resi.- ldue on parts of the structure defining the Should it he desired, es is nrocess is supplied :it the hottom or lower portion of ihe cerhonizing` or disiilling zone 8, es will hereinafter more clearly appear.

The reses ci or resulting lirom the process from said csrhonizing zone; in other words, from the interior oi3 the reiorb es lahrough oiireire piping l2 to any suireble gas purifying epperaus indicated es at 13, `1@hence "ce holder le from which it is dre-wn for any desired use es through valve conirolled pipes l5, i6 und 16a. Some oi the ges ironi he pipe 16 can, if desired, he con- 'dncred rhrough heet inerchanger il?,

pari-s olii `burners. or appereisus may also ern` ic the .'o ...c .s ii. 's

cose or sein einer l i ro Il" n s. s l.

orner words, ro s perhce Q ough ne heet `irensii'; ro the pipes 22.. end the products of combustion of che burner 2l een ne ihrcugh h inierchenger l?" and chererom )se izhe einosphere es hy piping frequently "che onse, io poss only sir from die heet insercion-nger end chance into Jdie rei-ori izhrough pipes 22, this een los accomplished hy heving che valves ai; 2l end 25 closed and e valve, es et 26, open 1thus permitting sir "so enier the heet interchenger. Oi course "where the ges from the holder le or produoer 18 is being superheeted, dependent` upon the particular process being operated. the valve 26 can he closed. The wall ci the reor is indicated as being made hollow, as et 30, and ii1 desired gas introduced as 'through valve controlled pipes 27, 28 and 29 can be employed to add or maintain a, cer- 'frein temperature within said hollow space 30 'of the retort 9 and the products of comhustion of the ges thus introduced can traverse said space .30 and linally leave on its wevto the stack, es through pipe 31.

he receiving space l1d() wherein the precipiteted colte lodges or 'deposits in the. con.- struction es shown is below the cerbonizing zone eine cit `die re'eor proper 'end/or within fri eolie cooling device 32 which in effect becomes e coniinueiion oi? or lower portion oi the reort structure. The coke cooling device is dependent for its function upon the indirect cooling edecc ci? eir supplied ehrougll Ahe pipe 33 and which einer having performed 'the cooling function passes hrough pipe 34 end preierehly hrenchesa one hrench leading through pipe 35 direciiy io the pipe 3'? which in turn supplies air (or ges dependent upon the particuler valve being ope@ the preheeer l?, enoiher branch leading through pipe 35 directly to Jdie pipe 22. ir, will thus be noted that hee ehsorhed from the eolie resulting from che process can he'reurned io the process. f

The construccion of the pieni or apparatus es e whole is such ihet the resort cen he brought co operative iernpereiure :fior sierting the desired process es by the utilization or ges from che producer 'i8 or the holder le, es may he conveniens ores may he desired.

Reference will now he e ibypicel process which may he carried our 'wi iin fz-he epperecus described in realisation Y lme ion. 'r eziero'lolea he process or :i oi coal 'ilccrcin in dry puliiclloi 'ng analysis ed roximii'eiy 4137000 t. u. per pound. v o es rew coal sample oi. Eure 3,5% ('weier);

"'fele'lie inciter (hydrocarbon tile comen@ g Fixed cercon 57.55%;

The pulferized coel mcy iineness indicated es follows:

59% pessed ihrough e 200 mesh screen (io "wir, wire screen having 40,000 openings per square inch).

% passed through e i0@ mesh screen.

% pessed ihrough e 4'() mesh screen.

Such e Vcoel is fed or showered into the iop or" the carhonizing chamber 9 which is preferably Vereicel. The cosi thus fed is preferelely 'ehe only gas making materiel `led into she top of the cerhonizing chamber or retort. lin fact the pulverized coal is a. solid carhonizahle fuel and it may be considered as only solid gas making or carhonizeble materiel fed into the retort. The ulverized coal thus fed is allowed io grawtete in cloud-like form through the cerhonizing zone, as 8, until the coal or coal particles has or have lost the desired amount of voletiie matter end until the carhonized or per tially carhonized residue reaches the receiving space 10 below or ai; the bottom of the carbonizing .zo11e.l The ,cerbonizetion is effected by heer, created et the lower regions voleelso here e Elfi IUP

of the carbonizingzone in such quantities that there is a complete union between the oxygen of the air and ythe com'bustion supportlng in edients within the zone. In the process w en once started and underway this heat is preferably kmaintained solely due to the introduction of air alone at the lower region ofthe carbonizing zone in such quantities that in the rocess when started and under Way the au' unites and burns with some of the carbon of the coal or combustion supporting ingredients or products thereof, thus introduced as specified into the retort and the uniting and burning of the air and said carbon of5 the coal and the products or ingredients thereof take place While said carbon of the coal or said products or ingredients still remain in the retort or carbonizing chamber so as to produce a` hot zone or zone of combustion at the base or lower portion of the carbonizing zone. There is a complete union of the oxygen of the air with the carbon or other combustion supporting ingredients of the precipitating coal so as to produce or maintain the hot zone or zone of combustion in this lower region and this air is introduced or permitted to enter vthe combustion zone under controlled conditions through the valve controlled pipes 22 either in a hot condition or without being heated, as desired.

Openings may ralso surround the delivery end of each of the pipes 22 but in that instance a dam er member 228L is provided whereby the ow of any air 'through said openings to the interior of the carbonizing` zone 1s under control. If air only is flowing through pipe 22 then in that instance it lis preferable to have the openings regulated by the damper members 22 completely closed against the infiow of air orthe outflow of gases. However, if as is flowing inwardly through pipe 22, as 1s possible under certain phases of the invention, then in that instance air wouldbe supplied as through openings controlled by the damper members 22a.

The hot products resulting from the combustion just referred to rise or, in other words, travel in a path counter to that of the gravitating particles whereby the coal being treated is suspended within the carbonizing zone 8 a longer period thanwould be the case if this counter flow did not exist, In other words, the powdered fuel within the carbonizing zone is heated while in suspension in an elastic fluid which is caused to travel to delay the settling of the particles by gravitation and which is maintained at the necessary temperature by heat supplied within the walls of the zone of carbonization. As illustrating the retardation or delaying of gravitation of the coal within the carbonizing chamber, it will be pointed out that instead of the coal particles gravitating in about two seconds, as would be the case if not retarded, the time under retarded conditions for the actual precipitation through this carbonizing zone may be ap roximately 30 seconds and this issubstantial y the measure of the time for actual carbonization under the conditions recited. The upflowing gases take on or there become, mixed therewith gases of the coal given off during .the carbonizing period in the chamber with the result that from the upper regions of the chamber there are conducted or withdrawn the gases of or resulting from the process, to wit, the mixed gases resulting from the dis'- tillation process and directly resulting from the combustion in the. lower portion of. the chamber, modified as to their characteristics by such reactions as take place in the presence of coal being treated or in the presence of one another.

It will also be observed that the hot rising gases, while subjecting the coal under treatment to the carbonizing or distilling action, distil ofl' certain vapors or gases and in each instance forthwith carry those vapors or gases toward and to a cooler zone or zones so as to avoid any substantial cracking or breaking down which would be the ease if the distilling` vapors or gases were subjected to higher heat treatment in the retort.

According to one mode of carbonization along the lines above outlined, as determined by. actual experiments raw coal havin the characteristics of sample -reduce vto a degree of fineness such that 50% passed through a 200 mesh and all of it passed a 40 mesh-was introduced into the top of a vertical retort. This was at a ratio of 12,000 ounds per hour (ratio variations ranging rom 6,000 to 18,000 pounds per hour) into a retort of 6 ft. internal diameter andv with a carbonizing zone of 50 ft. hi h and air was supplied to the bottom of t eA feet per second travelling counter to the finely divided coal being treated. The temperature of the offgoing gases when leaving the top of the carbonizing chamber was approximately 550 F. to 850 F. and this gave an estimated average vertical velocity ofthe oflgoing prod- A' ucts of approximately of a foot per secdnd. The temperature of the gases leaving the hot combustion zone of 1150o F. to 1500O F. was reduced to about 900 F. to 1100 F. aboutone-third way up the carbonizing zone and about 650 F. to 900 F. at about twothirds way'up, and as above indicated 550 F. to 850 F. at the uppermost portion.

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l about neutral or it anything slightly less than atmospheric. IThe coal treated as above described had the analysis of the raw coal sample ABZ The resulting residue was a partially carbonized product having approximately Per cent. Volatile matter 12 Fixed carbon 78 ,Ash l() and constituted by, weight approximately 72% of the original coal introduced into the carbonizing chamber. y

It will be manifest that the processes coinprehended by the present invention can be modified along the various lines as (a) according to the characteristics of the. coalbeing treated; (by according to the characteristics of the resultino` product; (c) according to the desired c aracteiistics of t-lie gaseous products; (d) according to the tineness of the coal being treated; and (e) according to the size of the retort or to the. temperature conditions of the air introduced. For example, by introducing preheated air the character of the resulting gases can be modified for the resulting gases can be made richer than would be the case if preheating were not employed, all other conditions being the same.

It is also possible to modify the processes by introducing air and gases so that the gases combined with the air will supply Asuilicient heat to support the reaction or so that the introduced gas and some of' the coal being treated together will combine with the air to produce heat to support the reaction. In other words, to eombust the air introduced into the retort.

Mention is herein made to the bringing of the retort up to heat for operating conditions. lt will be readily appreciated, however, that in starting the process the retort should be brought as nearly as possible to the heat conditions maintained in the retort when the process is in normal operation. and to that end the heat may be supplied initially -in any suitable manner. `With the process started, however, there will gradually come a modification, adjustment or changent the temperatures according to those normally realized as the process functions.' 1llllhether or4 not'any outside heat is to be employed may depend upon a speciic process desired but in general it may be desirable to crit VYall such extraneous heat and it is possible dior the process herein described to be sus tained,

'l .a 'i r..- by the internal neat e within i. i. .".P 'i r.. i

s meente bottom of the carbonizing chamber and this by the entrance only of a controlled or limited amount of air to the interior of the re tort.

in the opera-tion of the process for regulation of ressure conditions at the bottom and'top ot the retort there can be employed a pressure fan 251'or forcing the air or gas through the heat interchanger 17 and an exhauster 14a for pulling the gases throufrh the spirit and scope of the.' claims.

What I claim is 1. The process .which when once started and underway comprises introducing substantially only finely divided coal into the top portion of a hot carbonizing zone and only a. limited amount of air into a hot zone of combustion at the bottom portion of the hot carbonizing zene under conditions' whereby the resulting rising products of combustion directly contact with the descending coal being treated so as to distil volatile matter from the coal while in suspension, withdrawing from the top portion of the carbonizing zone mixed frases resulting, from the process, and c o lecting and withdrawing as partially distilled coal the residual precipitated from the cai'bonizing zone.

2. The process which when once started and underway comprises introducing pulverized 'coal into the upper portion of a hot carbonizing zone within which the pulverized Acoal in cloud-like forni gravitates but with retarded Igravita-tion toward and into a receiving space below the carbonizing zone,

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causing a limited supply of air to enter a hot zone of combustion at the lower portion of said carbonizing zone under conditions so as to unite and burn with some ot the carbon or other combustion supporting ingredients of the coal and thus maintain said hot zoneI of combustion land so as to maintain therein temperatures approximating be tween M500 if. and 15000 F. and so as tocause resulting productsl et combustion to rise from. the zone ot combustion and directly contact with the giavitating coal in lfiston so as to distil volatile matter 'le the coal is in suspension,

the upper portion of the and from the carbonizingzone but delaying- 'carbonizing z one the mixed gases resultingl from the process, and withdrawing from the receiving space below the zone of combustion the resulting partially distilled precipitated coal.

8. The process which comprises introducing finely divided coal at the upper portion of a hot carbonizing zone and a limited supn ply of air in the lower portion of said zone under conditions to unite and burn with the carbon or other supporting combustioningredicnts ofthe coal and maintain in the lower regions of the carbonizing zone a zone of combustion approximating 1150o F. to 1500 F. from which the products of combustion rise and directly contact Awith the gravitating coal particles in suspension and under conditions to distil a substantial portion of the volatile matter from the coal while the coal particles are in suspension, collecting from the upper portion of the carbonizing zone mixed gasesresult-ing from the process, and withdrawing as partially distilled coke the residue precipitated from the carbonizing zone.

- 4. The process which comprises introducing finely divided coal into the upper portion of an unobstructed carbonizing chamber within which the coal thus introduced gravitates in cloud-like form and is heated while in suspension by rising hot gases 'which are caused to travelso' as to delay the settling of the coal particles by lgravitation, said heat-ing being carried out 1n a' carbonizing zonehaving an average temperature between aliiproximately 850 F. 11750 F. said carbonizing zone having at its lower lportion its hottest vportion which is between approxi.- mately 1150 F. and 1500 F. and from which hot-test portion the hot gases rise, said hottest portion being maintained at the stated temperature range by the introduction into said hottest portion of a limited-amount of air which unites and burns with the cal'- bon or other combustion supporting ingredients of the coal so as to create the heat and simultaneously produce the hot gases which rise from said hottest portion, withdrawing the aseous products from the upper ortion of tie carbonizing chamber, and wit drawing the partially distilled residuum from the lower portion of the carbonizing chamber.

5. The process which comprises introducing dry pulverized coal having a substantial volatile content into the upper portion of a hot carbonizing zone, permitting the coal to settlevin cloud-like form downwardlyalcng its settling solely by the hereinafter specified hot gases, causing only a limited amount of' air to enter the lower portion of the earbonizing zone and in which lower portion the air chemically combines with a portion of the vroducts of the :introduced pulverized coal w ile said products still remain within the carbonizing zone so as to eiect a combustion and thereby produce the hot gases which rise and contact with the pulverized coal being treated under conditions to distil from the latter a substantial percentage of the volatile content of the pulverized coal while in suspension withdrawing the mixed gases resulting from the process, and withdrawing as partially distilled coal the residues precipitated from the carbonizing zone.

6( The carbonizing of coal in a retort providing a carbonizing chamber defining an unobstructed vertically extending carbonizing zone within which the coal is carbonized while in suspension inhot gases which carbonizing of the coal is carried out by a process comprising (a) showering powdered coal into an upper portion ofthe carbonizing zoneof the retort and allowing the coal thus fed to gravitate downwardly in cloud-like form through the carbonizing zone; (b) maintaining the requisite temperatures within the carbonizing zone by heat supplied within the walls of the zone of'carbonization, which heat is created and maintained substantially solely by the inltroduct-ion of air alonein a hot zone of combustion which is at the lower region `cof the carbonizing zone in such quantities that in the process when once started this air unites and burns with some of the carbon or other combustion supporting ingredients or the precipitating coal l while said carbon or other combustion supporting in redients s'till remain in the car-` bonizing c'amber, said air being limited in quantity and uniting and burning in the manner specified whereby there is effected a substantially complete union of the oxygen of the'air with said carbon or other combustion supporting ingredients so as to maintain said hot zone. of combustion from which there is emitted the hot products of combustion which constitute gases that are substantially chemically inert with respect to the coal undergoing carbonization and that leave the hot zone of combustion at temperatures approximately 1150 F. to 1600 F., the hei ht of the retort a'nd the time that the coa undergoing carbonization is in the rising hot gases when modified by the gases distilled from the precipitatmg coal belng such that the temperatures of the gasespat the top of and when leaving the carbonizing chamber approximate at least as low as 550 y F. to 850 F., the arrangement being such that the hot products of combustion leaving the combustion zone move upwardly counter to the downwardly gravitating cloud'v of powdered coal so that the latter. while it gravitates downwardly moves with a. retarded gravitation andso that the particles of coala-re heated by and while in sus ensmn in the u wardly moving gases; (c withdrawing rom the upper portion of the` carlll ' bonizing zone the products of combustion and the other gases resulting from the process; and (al) removing from the lower portionof the retort in finely divided state the carbonized coal thus produced after it has passed downwardly through the carbonizing zone and after separation from the upwardly moving gases, said upwardly moving gases being maintained hot by heat supplied interiorly of the retort as aforesaid and at a location above the place where the finely divided carbon lodged after precipitation from said upwardly moving gases, the finely carbonized coal after lodgxnent at the base of the retort being kept free from substantial additional heat while in the retort 7. The carbonizing of coal in a retort providing a carbonizing chamber defining an unobstructed vertically extending carbonizing zone within which the coal is carbonized while in suspension in hot gases which carbo'nzing of the coal is Icarried out by a rocess comprising (a) showering powdere coal into an upper portion" of the carbonizing zone of the retort and allowing the coal thus fed to gravitate downwardly in cloud-like form through the carbonizing zone; (b) maintaining the requisite temperatures within the carbonizing zone by heat supplied within the walls ofthe zone of carbonization, which heat is created and maintain/ed substantially solely by the introduction of air alonein a hot zone of combustion which is at the lower region of the 'carbonizing zone in such quantities that inthe rocess when once vstarted this air unites an burns with soineof the carbon or other combustion supporting in edients of the precipitating coal while saircarbon or other combustion supporting ingredients still remain in the carbonizing chamber, saidl air being limited in quantity and uniting and burning in the manner specified whereby there isefected a moana@ substantially complete union of the oxygen of the air with said carbon or other combustion supporting ingredient-s so as to mairitain said hot zone of combustion from which there is omitted the hot products of combustion providing upwardly moving hot gases that are substantially chemically inert with respect to the coal undergoing carbonization, the height of the retort and the time that the coal undergoing carbonization is in the upwardly moving gases being such that the carbonization is realized by and while the coal particles are in suspension in the upwardly moving gases which are modified by the gases given oli from the coal during the carbonizing thereof and which upwardly moving gases serve to retard the downward gravitation ot the coal particles until said carbonization has been-eccted during suspension of the particles in and the heating of the particles by the upwardly moving gases; (n) withdrawing from the upper portion of the carbonizing zone the mixtures of the products of combustion and the gases resulting from the process; and (d) removing from the lower portion of the retort in finely divided state the carbonized coal thus produced after it has passed downwardly through the carbonizing zone and after separation from the upwardly moving gases, said upwardly moving gases being maintained hot by the heat supplied interiorly of the retortv as aforesaid and at a location above the lace Where the finely divided cai'- bon lodged) after precipitation from said upwardly moving gases, the finely carbonized coal after lodgment at the base of the retort being kept free from substantial additional heat while in the retort.

vIn testimony whereof signed 4 my name.

I have hereunto WALTER RUNGE.

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